The Grade-by-Grade College Prep Road Map (Free Template)

Most families hear about college deadlines too late, or hear about all of them at once. The Grade Level Road Maps spread the work across four years, so each year has a clear focus and a short list of what comes first.

What’s inside

The workbook has one sheet for each grade, plus a life skills checklist:

  • 9th grade, Explorer. Build habits. Try things. Breadth over depth.

  • 10th grade, Builder. Go deeper on the activities and subjects that stuck.

  • 11th grade, Architect. Peak academics, testing, and the start of the application process.

  • 12th grade, CEO. Let’s get you into college.

  • Basic Life Skills. A checklist of what a student should be able to do on their own before leaving home, from laundry to unclogging a drain.

How it works

Each grade sheet has a task list with every item marked High, Medium, or Low priority. The counts update at the top as you set deadlines and check tasks off, so you can see what’s left at a glance. Across the four grades there are more than 100 tasks. Each sheet also has a space for action items from your family meetings.

How to use it

Make a copy, then pick the sheet for your student’s grade. Start with the High priority tasks and set a deadline for each. Review the sheet at your weekly Sunday Sync (see the Sunday Sync Quick Reference Card), so the plan stays alive instead of living in a folder.

Want help turning the plan into a routine? Book a free consultation.

Harley Poston

Harley is the founder of Stress Less College Apps and creator of the Guided Ambition Lab, a complete system for navigating the college planning process without compromising family harmony and youth development. Based in Oakland, he works with students and parents on essays, college lists, activities, recommendations, and testing. His approach: fit over prestige, and calm over panic. Book a free family consultation at stresslesscollegeapp.com/contact

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The Sunday Sync: A 25-Minute Weekly Meeting for Parents and Teens